Motherwell leave it late for draw

Motherwell 2 Dunfermline 2

A dramatic injury time goal by Motherwell defender Martyn Corrigan gave the Lanarkshire men a well deserved share of the spoils against Dunfermline at Fir Park.

The Fifers took a first half lead with goals from strikers Stevie Crawford and Craig Brewster and, with the home side looking out of sorts, the destination of the points seemed assured.

However, Motherwell fought back in the second half and pulled a goal back from Stephen Pearson and, in a storming finish, Corrigan popped up to head home from close range following a Steven Hammell cross.

It was a well deserved point for Terry Butcher’s men who showed that never-say-die spirit that has saw them go unbeaten in their last seven league games.

There was little between the sides in the early stages of the game but in the 14th minute it was who Dunfermline took the lead with a scrambled goal which could have been avoided.

As the ball bounced around the Fir Park six-yard box, and the home defenders hesitated, Pars striker Brewster’s header came off the post.

Handily placed was Crawford, however and the Scotland international blasted the ball into the roof of the net from close range for his 10th goal of the season.

The confident Fifers looked slick and sharp as they moved forward and Brewster came close with a flashing drive from 14 yards after good work by Derek Young on the left to slide the ball across the penalty area.

At the other end, Well midfielder Derek Adams’ low drive from the edge of the box brought a great save from Stillie who dived to his right to push the ball away to safety.

In the 38th minute, the visitors doubled their lead and this time it was Brewster who was the scorer.

Once again Motherwell failed to clear their lines with stopper Stephen Craigan the culprit and Crawford should have scored his second but his toe-poke from close range rebounded off the post.

This time however, it was Brewster who followed it up to hammer a left foot shot past Marshall and into the corner of the net.

It would have been ‘Well boss Terry Butcher who would have welcomed the half-time whistle to give him time to sort out his players who had lost their way a bit in the first 45 minutes.

After the break, the Lanarkshire men were looking for a little bit of inspiration to get them back into the game as they forced the Fifers deeper into their own half.

Neither keeper was seeing much of the ball however, as both defences looked strong and compact, especially the visitors‘ rearguard.

As the second half wore on, the pressure increased on the Pars defence and to the bemusement of the other players, keeper Stillie and his own defender Scott Wilson were involved in a heated argument after a corner had been conceded.

Butcher introduced striker Alex Burns for the disappointing Steven Craig in an attempt to fire the home side up a little more but the closest they could get was when substitute Dair blasted the ball over the bar from 16 yards.

The home side were given a well-deserved boost in the 70th minute however when they pulled a goal back to set up a storming finale.

Pars midfielder Barry Nicholson slipped and the ball fell invitingly for Pearson who drove a low shot from the just inside the box past the despairing Stillie.

The Fir Park men sensed they could salvage at least a point from the game which at one point look to be lost and they laid siege to the Dunfermline penalty area and in the second minute of injury time they got a dramatic equaliser.

A Hammell cross came in from the left and Corrigan nodded past Stillie from close range and Fir Park went wild.